Professional CV Writing Service UK: Get Hired In the United

Have you ever felt excited at the idea of living and working abroad? Well, you’re not alone. Many Americans decide on taking a gap year or working overseas to get out of their comfort zone, gain international experience and expand future career prospects. Due to the language and cultural familiarity, the United Kingdom remains the popular destination to continue your career in any industry.

You shouldn’t go unprepared, though. Start with writing a CV which speaks the same language that the local employers do. A quality CV will increase your chances for getting more interviews and job offers in the United Kingdom – and we know how the quality looks like.

UK CV writing service: Get prepared for the UK job search

Despite the cultural similarities, a traditional UK resume looks quite different. The UK employers expect to receive a CV, which is a more detailed version of the US resume. A CV typically includes your entire work history, education history and a plenty of personal details (such as hobbies).

If you’ve never written a European CV before, our resume experts are here to help. Our staff CV writers know the peculiarities of the resume writing as well as the demands of the UK employers. At an affordable fee, we will adapt your American resume for a local job market or create a brand new CV in support of your job-hunting strategy. We guarantee that you’ll be happy with the result – otherwise, we’ll revise it for free until you’re satisfied!

Understanding the British business culture

In addition to hiring an expert in professional CV writing UK and honing your British accent, there are lots of things to do before the departure. For example, understanding the business etiquette in the US will help you feel more comfortable in the local business environment and make a positive impression at your colleagues, boss and clients. Below, we’ve collected the key differences in culture and work attitude for those looking to build career in the United Kingdom:

Small talks are important
Generally, Americans are known for their straightforward attitude to work and speaking up to the point during the business conversations. In this regard, British people are very different – they will start a negotiation or a daily meeting with a small talk, so the habit of getting down to business at once will be considered impolite.
The most appropriate topics for a small talk are commuting, weather, or recent news. As a rule, the small talk is initiated by the host or boss and this person lets the other know that it’s time to talk business. Due to this small talk ritual, meetings in the UK tend to take more time than in the US.
Not every subject of conversation will do, though – there is an international list of taboo topics for conversation with colleagues.

Selling yourself is bad tone
In the US self-promotion is actively encouraged as it’s seen as the necessary attribute of career success. You need to know your worth, stress on your contribution and accomplishments and sell yourself on the resume, during the interview and in the office if you want to get promoted. On the other hand, British people are known for being reserved, and while selling yourself during an interview is expected, bragging about your successes in the office is likely to make a negative impression on your coworkers.
Professional CV UK writers recommend that you show off less while in the office – let your skills and knowledge speak for itself. This is exactly the case when less is more. The same works for your CV – write about your past successes, but don’t be overly self-promotional.
Got an offer from the British company? Here are the questions to ask before accepting job offer.

Dress the way your colleagues do
Since the dress code in British companies varies depending on the industry and the company’s policies, there isn’t a surefire recipe that will help you look perfect in any business setting. The best tactic is to follow the dress code in a certain organization or to mimic the way your colleagues are dressed. For instance, if your colleagues are wearing casual or smart casual outfits, be sure to follow their example.
But what if you’re going for an interview and have no idea about the company’s dress code? In this case, the safe bet is to opt for traditional business wear. Looking more traditionally than others will be appreciated, while arriving in a solid organization wearing casual clothes will prevent you from being taken seriously.
Can’t choose an appropriate interview outfit? Our guide will help: http://resumeperk.com/blog/what-to-wear-for-a-winning-job-interview.

Being polite and reserved always pays off
Long story short, the British business culture can be summarized in two words: polite and reserved. You can never go too far with these two. Remember that it’s a good tone to always be on time for meeting or an appointment and to inform someone if you are late. The British people are usually on first name terms. While introducing yourself, it’s important to maintain an eye contact and give a person a quick and firm handshake.
Being reserved includes, in particular, avoiding to give a negative answer or to criticize someone (try softening the formulation) and being very careful with showing strong emotions. Neglecting these simple rules can make your workplace interactions tough and turn your colleagues away from you.
In addition to the UK-specific business culture, check out the unwritten rules of etiquette in the modern office: http://resumeperk.com/blog/lifeline-for-newcomers-unspoken-rules-of-office-etiquette.

British employees work fewer hours than Americans
While work ethic in Britain and United States is quite similar, people in the UK tend to spend fewer hours in their offices than the Americans do. According to the statistics, full-time employees in the UK work 42.7 hours a week in average, while the US employees typically spend 47 hours in the office. The difference isn’t about attitude to work – people in both countries are committed to working hard. The fact is, British workers don’t take pride in being always busy as the Americans do, so they work more effectively rather than spend late hours in the office. You’ll feel comfortable leaving the office as soon as the working hours are over simply because that’s what most of your colleagues will do.
Moreover, British employees also take longer vacations and often take this time to travel. So, if you are employed with the British company, you’ll also have enough time to see the major European sights during your next vacation.

It is common to socialize with coworkers
In the US, it’s not popular to socialize with the coworkers – informal communication in most cases is limited by the corporate parties. In this regard, things are quite different in Great Britain – people here often go out to the pub after work to relax. If you plan to build good relationships in the office, it’s recommended that you participate in this tradition as well. Moreover, this time off will help you accustom to the local traditions, culture and the famous British humor much faster.
Discrimination during the interview is common for the UK, too. Find out how to answer sexist questions in the right way.

Conclusion

The business culture, rituals and the way of communication in the UK might be different from what you are used to. Understanding these differences will help you fit into the local workplace and continue your career path successfully in Great Britain. And to speed up your job-hunting process, consider hiring CV writing service UK to get all your application documents prepared by professionals who understand how a successful CV looks like.

At Resumeperk, we work 24/7 to serve the career needs of the clients worldwide. We understand the peculiarities of the job-seeking process in Western Europe and will help you adapt your old resume for the local job market, or create a brand new one. Check out our prices for CV packages or contact us anytime if you have any questions.